Solar EV charging unites greenies, union workers

The International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW) Local 569 and the San Diego Chapter of the National Electrical Contractors Association (NECA) joined by State Senator Christine Kehoe recently unveiled a solar-powered electric vehicle charging station in San Diego that can be used by the local community at no cost.

Representatives from the San Diego Chapter of the Sierra Club and Operation Free, a national coalition of veterans, national security experts and retired military personnel working to secure America with clean energy, participated the official opening of the solar-powered EV charging station located at 4675 Viewridge Avenue in San Diego.

“San Diego’s electric vehicle industry is a win-win for local electricians and the community,” said IBEW Local 569 Business Manager Johnny Simpson. “It’s creating good, middle-class electrical jobs and helping us reduce harmful air pollution.”

Sierra Club praises EV + PVCarolyn Chase, chair of the San Diego Chapter of the Sierra Club, also underscored the multiple benefits of solar-charged driving.

“The transportation sector is a significant cause of global warming and local smog and asthma-related pollutants,” she noted. “Electric vehicles are a critical part of an overall clean transportation solution which translates into cleaner communities, green job growth and reducing our dependence on polluting fossil fuels.”

Finally, Lance Corporal Brian P. VanRiper, USMC and a member of Operation Free, highlighted the link between more solar-charged driving in the U.S. and reduced risk for U.S. military personnel abroad.

“As a veteran, I’ve seen firsthand that America’s addiction to fossil fuels is not just about public health or climate change, it is also an issue of national security,” said VanRiper, who was honorably discharged from the U.S. Marine Corps in 2004. “The time is now to claim America’s energy independence and electric vehicles are a critical part of that mission.”

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About The Author

Christof Demont-Heinrich is founder, creator and editor of SolarChargedDriving.Com, which he launched in September 2009. A journalism professor at the University of Denver (DU), Demont-Heinrich is a lifelong environmentalist who loves to bird, hike, camp, and bike. As passionate as he is about the environment -- and about promoting the synergy between solar power and electric cars, he is equally passionate about writing.